Planning Winter Cover Crops

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A New Mexico State University agronomist suggests that farmers plant winter cover crops. Anna María Pérez-Wright has more.

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Farmers might want to consider planting a cover crop this winter. Agronomist Denise McWilliams with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service says cover crops provide good grazing and quick growth. They also are nitrogen scavengers, soil builders and erosion and weed fighters.

"You might be surprised at the list of common as well as unusual plant varieties that might fit a niche on your farm. Black oats may be a potential in southern New Mexico. It's a commonly used cover crop in the temperate regions in southern South America, and it's very resistant to rust and produces large amounts of biomass similar to rye."

McWilliams says black oats provide good forage but the crop is not tolerant to very low temperatures.

"It has exceptional allelopathy for weed control and it is easily killed mechanically and cycles nitrogen better than rye. It also appears to break disease cycles for wheat and soybeans and is resistant, maybe even suppressive, to root knot nematode, a real culprit in cotton as well as chile fields."

McWilliams says information about cover crops can be found on the Sustainable Agriculture Network Website at www.sare.org or at your county Extension office. For N-M-S-U's College of Agriculture and Home Economics, I'm Anna María Pérez-Wright.